Chocolate Academy™ Chefs Discuss Sustainability

Chef Laura Gonzalez of Chocolate Academy™ Dubai

news

10/02/2023

What does sustainability mean to you?

It can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what sustainability means and how we can approach our work with the concept in mind. While it’s one thing to look at sustainability from the perspective of a chocolate manufacturer - with issues of sourcing, shipping, and packaging top of mind - it’s another to look at one’s day-to-day work keeping the future of the planet and the well-being of distant farmers in focus.

In Their Own Words

With a wide range of experience and backgrounds and their constant communication with clients and students, Chocolate Academy™ Chefs are well-positioned to see the issue from a variety of perspectives, looking at sustainability not only as individuals wishing to preserve the planet, protect workers, and maintain ingredient availability for future generations but also as business owners and budget-conscious chefs and managers who need to keep the bottom line in mind.

Each of our chefs has his or her own unique take on sustainability and their own way of approaching the task of working in accordance with sustainable principles. Follow @chocolateacademyworldwide on Instagram to hear from more of our chefs!

Chef Leon Krohn from Chocolate Academy™ Zurich

Chef Leon Krohn from Chocolate Academy™ Zurich does his part by promoting local, in season produce, and he understands that necessary changes aren’t always comfortable for our customers. Education is the key to getting everyone on board.
Chef Alfred Nqayi of Chocolate Academy™ South Africa

South African Chef Alfred Nqayi sees the practical side of working sustainably, and he focuses on the need for balance.
Chef Domica Lazo of Chocolate Academy™ Chicago

Chicago Chef Domica Lazo sees the big picture and lets both history and the future guide her work in the kitchen. Her creations are informed by ideas of caring for people, respecting ingredients, and protecting the planet.
Chef Nicolas Dutertre of Chocolate Academy™ Montreal

Chef Nicolas Dutertre of Chocolate Academy™ Montreal chooses to narrow his focus to the daily details, realizing the power of their cumulative impact.
Chef Patricia Rodriguez Perez of Chocolate Academy™ Mexico

Chef Patricia Rodriguez Perez, who calls Chocolate Academy™ Mexico home, sees sustainability as an opportunity to explore creative solutions and improve our way of working.

Chef Leon Krohn from Chocolate Academy™ Zurich:
" Sustainability should concern us all. As a chef, I like to only work with seasonal fruits when I can. This helps reduce the footprint, and nothing tastes better than a ripe, local strawberry. There are also a lot of things that can be improved when it comes to reducing packaging and finding a dialogue with the customers on why certain things are changing-"

Chef Alfred Nqayi of Chocolate Academy™ South Africa: "Sustainability fulfils the needs of the current generation without compromising the needs of the future generation. At the same time, ensuring a balance between economic growth, environmental care and social well-being."

Chef Domica Lazo of Chocolate Academy™ Chicago:
"Sustainability is going all the way back to our roots. In terms of the environment, how much care and appreciation can we show not only to the ingredients we use to create but the people who have grown these ingredients? In terms of society and work, how can we provide a safe and inclusive environment that will foster care and passion in our industry so that people can continue loving chocolate forever? Every day, I choose to answer these questions with my actions and my creations."

Chef Nicolas Dutertre of Chocolate Academy™ Montreal:
"Nowadays, sustainability is a subject that we deal with on a daily basis in the
Gastronomy world and this makes us aware of a reality that is very present in our work.
To do this as a chef, we have the responsibility and duty to practice sustainable baking, starting with simple things like sourcing raw materials, promoting short circuits and working with local producers which will reduce the carbon impact and lead to a healthier sustainability, but also a reduction of daily waste and of course the sorting such as recycling, and compost.

The choice of sustainable ingredients is just as important. Working at the Chocolate Academy allows me to work with products that help sustain the future of cocoa.
- These small actions will create big environmental changes and help the economy of local communities.
- If leaders and their teams integrate into their work environments some of these good practices that are becoming more and more imperative, it is certain that this will have positive long-term effects for the safeguarding of our planet."

Chef Patricia Rodriguez Perez of Chocolate Academy™ Mexico:
" To me, sustainability is giving more than one use to a product or application, using what we already have, and exploring our creativity to create new and exciting things that can provide a second use for our creations, as well as packaging."

Our partner brands all work with the Cocoa Horizons foundation in an effort to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers and their communities through the promotion of sustainable, entrepreneurial farming, improved productivity, and community development, which protect nature and children.

They are an independent, non-profit organization supervised by the Swiss Federal Foundation Supervisory Authority.